International Negotiations

15 September 2014: The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has circulated the provisional programme and briefing notes for the High-Level Segment of the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the CBD, prepared by the Government of the Republic of Korea, in consultation with the CBD Secretariat. The CBD COP 12 High-Level Segment will be held from 15-16 October 2014, under the theme 'Biodiversity for Sustainable Development.'

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) will convene this meeting in order to bring together forestry experts and decision-makers from the region. The meeting is one of six region-specific meetings held every two years in support of the FAO Regional Forestry Commissions.

9 September 2014: In preparation for the High-level Segment of the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the CBD Secretariat has circulated the draft text of the 'Gangwon Declaration on Biodiversity for Sustainable Development' prepared by the Government of the Republic of Korea, for Parties' comments.

The Fourth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 4) to the Framework Convention on the Protection and Sustainable Development of the Carpathians (Carpathian Convention) will meet from 23-26 September in Mikulov, Czech Republic, to decide on the strategic policy direction of the Convention for the next three years. COP 4 also serves as the Meeting of the Parties to its Protocols on Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological and Landscape Diversity, Sustainable Forest Management, and Sustainable Tourism. Participants will include environment ministers and high-level representatives of the seven Parties to the Convention. Parties are expected to, inter alia, review and decide upon a number of implementing documents, issue declarations and statements, and ratify the Protocol on Sustainable Transport to the Convention.

The Third International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD) will take place on 13-16 July 2015, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The conference will be held at the highest possible political level, including Heads of State or Government, relevant ministers – ministers for finance, foreign affairs and development cooperation – and other special representatives. The conference will result both in an intergovernmentally negotiated and agreed outcome and in summaries of the plenary meetings and other deliberations of the Conference, to be included in the report of the Conference.

The Third International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD) will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 13-16 July 2015. According to UN General Assembly Resolution 68/279, the first draft of the outcome document will be prepared by the co-facilitators on the basis of informal consultations, taking into account inputs from Member States, and presented by February 2015. The Preparatory Process as outlined in the road map issued by the co-facilitators in October 2014 will include three drafting sessions on the outcome document. The first drafting session will take place on 27-29 January 2015.

The Third International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD) will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 13-16 July 2015. According to UN General Assembly Resolution 68/279, the first draft of the outcome document will be prepared by the co-facilitators on the basis of informal consultations, taking into account inputs from Member States, and presented by February 2015. The Preparatory Process as outlined in the road map issued by the co-facilitators in October 2014 will include three drafting sessions on the outcome document. The second drafting session will take place on 13-17 April 2015.

The Third International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD) will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 13-16 July 2015. According to UN General Assembly Resolution 68/279, the first draft of the outcome document will be prepared by the co-facilitators on the basis of informal consultations, taking into account inputs from Member States, and presented by February 2015. The Preparatory Process as outlined in the road map issued by the co-facilitators in October 2014 will include three drafting sessions on the outcome document. The third drafting session will take place on 15-19 June 2015.

The 2015 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will bring together thousands of government officials, journalists, civil society organizations, academia and the private sector. The IMF's International Monetary and Financial Committee and the joint World Bank-IMF Development Committee will meet to discuss progress on the IMF's and the WBG's work. Seminars, regional briefings, press conferences and many other events focused on the global economy, international development and the world's financial markets will also be held.

The 2014 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) will bring together central bankers, ministers of finance and development, private sector executives and academics to discuss issues of global concern, including the world economic outlook, poverty eradication, economic development and aid effectiveness. Seminars, regional briefings, press conferences and other events focused on the global economy, international development and the world's financial system will be held. About 13,000 people are expected to attend this year's meetings. The Annual Meetings will open with a plenary on 10 October followed by meetings of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) and of the Development Committee on 11 October. At the conclusion of each of these meetings, communiqués will be released providing guidance to the Executive Boards of the two institutions. A Civil Society Policy Forum will also be held, which will comprise a series of policy dialogue sessions and bring together Bank and Fund staff, civil society representatives, government officials and others.

Biodiversity Policy & Practice is a knowledge management project for international negotiations and related activities addressing international biodiversity policy. It was launched by the International Institute for Sustainable Development(IISD)Reporting Services in October 2010, during the 10th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 10) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). IISD RS manages and is fully responsible for the content posted on Biodiversity Policy & Practice . Information on United Nations activities is provided in cooperation with the UN system agencies, funds and programmes through the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination(UN CEB) Secretariat.